Week in Review

Aug. 24, 2012Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall. A list of links for stories in this edition is available at the bottom of the page.

Budget Public Hearing—Monday, Aug. 27
The City Council’s second public hearing on the proposed 2012-2013 budget will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, at City Hall.

The proposed budget maintains the current tax rate of $0.63516 per $100 of assessed valuation and includes $1 million as part of the City Council’s commitment to maintain one penny of the tax rate to be used for road improvements.

All budget meetings are open to the public. In addition, as part of the City Council’s Transparency Initiative goals, the meetings are also broadcast live on CITV (Channel 16 on Time Warner and Channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse) and on the City website, www.cor.net. City Council videos and documents are also available on-demand on the City’s website.

West Nile virus Aerial Spraying Update
The second full application for aerial mosquito spraying for the City of Richardson was completed early Tuesday morning. It was the last aerial spraying operation planned for the city as part of Dallas County’s aerial mosquito control operation. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials arrived in the Dallas area Wednesday to review test results from the spraying activities and provide guidance on what should happen next, if anything.

This week, Richardson’s Health Department received confirmation of four additional cases of the West Nile virus in people. The new results bring the City’s count up to 11 confirmed cases of people found infected with the disease this year. So far, no Richardson residents have died this year due to contracting the West Nile virus.

Because of the aerial spraying operations, no neighborhood spraying events have been planned in connection with the new findings. Residents are urged to continue to take precautions to keep mosquito populations at a minimum around their home and to take personal measures to lower their risk of contracting the West Nile virus.

To protect from mosquito bites, people are asked to follow the Four D’s of protection:

DRAIN standing water around the home,

Use insect repellent containing DEET,

Avoid being outdoors at DUSK and DAWN when mosquitoes are most active,

And DRESS to protect yourself with long sleeves and pants to reduce skin exposure.

Main Street/Central Expressway Corridor Study Survey and Questionnaire Closes Thursday, Aug. 30
Public input on the Main Street/Central Expressway Corridor study is continuing with an online survey and questionnaire. The deadline to participate is Thursday, Aug. 30.

The survey and questionnaire follow an open house held in July and are among several opportunities created to gather information on what residents would like to see as part of the future vision being created for the Main Street area and Central Expressway corridor.

The Main Street/Central Expressway study area is approximately 415 acres, including the Central Expressway corridor from approximately the southern City limit to Arapaho Road, as well as the City’s historic downtown (see map).

The City’s Development Services Department has also created a Facebook page to keep people informed on the redevelopment process.

Pengzhou China Delegation visit
Today, City of Richardson officials wrapped up a meeting with a delegation from China who came to build relationships and begin the process for creating new business opportunities.

The Chinese delegation was made of government officials from Pengzhou, China, who arrived yesterday as part of a tour developed by the Mayor’s Office of International Business Development.

During the visit, the delegation enjoyed meals at several Richardson restaurants, received a tour of City Hall and local television station KDFW, and learned about Richardson’s city government. Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend joined the mayor of Pengzhou in signing an agreement expressing the cities' support for each other and acknowledging the cities' efforts to build cultural, educational and business ties.

Mayor Bob Townsend and Mayor Hu Du

Japan-America Grassroots Summit
The City of Richardson will welcome about a dozen Japanese guests as part of the 2012 Japan-America Grassroots Summit Aug. 30-Sept. 2. The visit is a chance for North Texas to practice hospitality while promoting possible new opportunities between Japanese and Richardson businesses.

Mayor Bob Townsend will welcome the guests to Richardson at a reception at City Hall Aug. 30. The summit will also include a tour at the University of Texas at Dallas and Fujitsu Network Communications and a progressive dinner for the visitors and their home stay hosts sponsored by Altrusa International of Richardson.

Richardson is one of 15 North Texas cities selected to host the visitors as part of the annual gathering of Japanese and American citizens. The summit, held alternately in Japan and the U.S., honors one of the first friendships between a Japanese person and an American, a unique bond begun in 1841 that continues through their descendants to the present day. In all, more than 150 visitors from Japan will tour North Texas during the summit.

First Day of School is Aug. 27—School Zone Safety
Richardson traffic engineers began testing school crossing signals last week to make sure they are working correctly in preparation for the upcoming school year, which begins Monday, Aug. 27. The City has 84 flashing signals in 29 school zones, which includes campuses in Richardson and Plano ISDs.

Officers will be monitoring school zones starting next week to help ensure the safety of the estimated 37,500 RISD students heading back to school this year, with about half of them attending campuses in the City of Richardson. This is the third school year Richardson police will enforce the ban on using handheld communication devices in active school zones.

The workshop will help writers of all skill levels learn to banish writer’s block and creatively put their feelings, experiences and beliefs to the page. Participants will have the opportunity to share their work on stage by reading new material to the class.

“The Write Stuff” is sponsored by the Friends of the Richardson Public Library as part of the Library’s 2012 Richardson Reads One Book program. Call 972-744-4376 to register for the program.

Rich-Tone Chorus at the Eisemann Center Aug. 25
The Rich-Tone Chorus will present “First and Goal” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25 in the Hill Performance Hall at the Eisemann Center. The show will feature classics and modern hits sung in women’s barbershop harmony.

The award-winning Rich-Tone Chorus is training for the Sweet Adelines International Competition in October, where it hopes to win a sixth international gold medal with its new show.

Tickets are $37-$40 and are available online at www.eisemanncenter.com or by calling the Eisemann Center Ticket Office at 972-744-4650. The Ticket Office is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday–Saturday and one hour before performances.

Crime Watch Patrol Training
The Richardson Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit will hold a free Crime Watch Patrol training class for new members from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. next Wednesday. Those interested in joining a Crime Watch Patrol must fill out an application available at http://bit.ly/PCr6sN. New members must pass a background check before attending a training session.

Crime Watch Patrols are active in more than 20 Richardson neighborhoods. After completing Crime Watch training, residents of those neighborhoods volunteer their time and vehicles to patrol the area and report suspicious activity to the Richardson Police Department. Volunteers have access to reflective vests and magnetic vehicle signs to increase visibility of the patrol.

For more information about the program and training session, call 972-744-4955.

Canyon Creek and Glenville Pools Open on Weekends through Labor Day
The City pools officially closed for the season Aug. 12, but Canyon Creek and Glenville pools will be open on weekends through Labor Day (Aug. 25-26 and Sept. 1-3).

Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the WeekThis is Ashley! She is a domestic short hair, spayed female about eight years old. She is up to date on all vaccinations, is good with older kids and some cats and has been at the Shelter over six months. Contact the Animal Shelter (972-744-4480) about Ashley or other animals available for adoption.